Meet Swing Blue Alliance intern, Marianna Anagnostou, from Bethesda, Maryland. She is currently a sophomore at Tufts University, majoring in Political Science and Sociology. She became involved with Swing Blue Alliance in the summer of 2021, as she was interested in finding an organization where she could help others firsthand. Because access to voting rights is a critical issue, Marianna wanted to bring awareness to voting rights and the Freedom to Vote Act, as this Act is “not very well-known,” she says.
Motivation to Gain Experience: Why Marianna Interns with Swing Blue Alliance
Throughout her internship, Marianna has been active across the organization. During the summer of 2021, she dedicated her time to Swing Blue Alliance’s social media accounts. “I posted educational information about the S1 Campaign and voting rights in general,” she says. Marianna also worked on a draft of the ActBlue page, a fundraising site, and budgeting and expense reports.
Currently, Marianna is creating a brand guide for Swing Blue Alliance, covering the organization’s style guidelines (such as fonts, logos, and more). Once completed, the guide will be available as a resource for all.
A main motivator for Marianna is her acknowledgment of the numerous opportunities she has, and this prompts her to want to help others.
“I have the opportunities and resources to know how to vote,” she says, and now wants to help others have those resources as well. By interning at Swing Blue Alliance, Marianna’s efforts have worked to do just that.
Getting out the Vote at Tufts
At Tufts University, Marianna is a part of JumboVote, a club that encourages voting. During the national election, JumboVote educated students about mail-in ballots and how to vote while at college.
For university students interested in getting involved, Marianna suggests sending postcards and phone banking. She also recommends that students actively become more informed and educated about important issues in our society by following social media news accounts, such as the New York Times. Social media is a platform most students already have, “you might as well add the news” to it, Marianna says.
Marianna’s dedication has made Swing Blue Alliance a stronger organization, as she continues to work to protect voting rights.
Want to become a Swing Blue Alliance intern? Learn more >
Kiran Houri is a Fall 2021 Swing Blue Alliance Intern studying International Relations at Tufts University.